If the hour of a French dinner is singular to an Englishman, the order in which it is served up is not less so. The soup (that great essential to a Frenchman) is always followed by bouilli, which having contributed to make the soup, is itself very tasteless.—Fricassées and poultry succeed; then follow fish and vegetables, and last of all comes the rôti, which, as I before had occasion to observe, is so much done as not to be very palatable. The pastry and desert conclude their dinners, which certainly deserve the praise of being both cheap and abundant. The fruit is astonishingly cheap; I. have seen excellent peaches sell for a sous apiece. A traveller is not, however, in general disposed to criticise these singularities, either in the hour or order of the repast with too much severity, as the remark attributed to Alexander the Great, has probably been made by many of less celebrity, "that night travelling serves to give a better appetite than all the skill of confectioners."
The general price of the Table d'Hôte in France, including the vin ordinaire, is about three francs, which are at the present rate of exchange equal to about a shilling each.—Those who call for better wine pay of course extra.
The vin ordinaire, or common wine of Burgundy, is a pleasant beverage, little stronger than cider, but in many parts of France it is by no means palatable. The cider and beer in France are, with few exceptions, extremely indifferent, and consequently little used.
CHAP. VI.
My first day's journey in the Diligence was short and uninteresting1. We arrived to sleep at Avalon, a small town partaking, in common with most others in France, of a degree of gloom occasioned by the want of those shops which enliven most of our country towns. Here a few articles are placed in a window, to indicate that there is a larger supply to be had within. There are few towns in France which have not a public place or walk, which is generally planted with trees, and kept in good order. Whilst supper was preparing, we took a few turns on the promenade of Avalon, and found a considerable number of persons assembled there; but were much shocked at the number and miserable appearance of the beggars, who thronged around us. They are much too numerous in all parts of France, and particularly here.
At an early hour next morning, we were summoned to resume our places in the Diligence; these places are in general numbered, and each person takes his seat in the order in which he has paid his fare, a regulation which prevents any delay, and precludes disputes or ceremony.
We continued our journey through the small towns of Rouvray and Viteaux; the country is diversified with hills, which are not of sufficient magnitude to present any great obstacle to the progress of the traveller.